BestSkinsEver G1 Skin Installed!! [Archive]

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ryannosaurus.rexx

11-28-2008, 11:31 PM

Hi guys, just thought I'd share a little gem with you all. There has been lots of talk about G1 skins from different manufacturers, but one has been often overlooked: one from BestSkinsEver.com (http://www.bestskinsever.com/servlet/the-115/T-dsh-Mobile-G1-Skin/Detail). The quality, fit, and finish are great - and it was only $9.99 shipped! You can see that they really paid attention to detail when designing this skin:
http://www.bestskinsever.com/catalog/G1-Diagram.gif

I bought one of them for my 1st gen iPod Nano 3 Christmases ago and it is still protecting it - my iPod and the skin still look as good as new!

Here is a quick-n-dirty write up (more detailed instructions here) (http://www.bestskinsever.com/servlet/the-template/application/Page):

Follow these instructions at your own risk! They are provided as a guideline and all care should be taken not to damage your spiffy Android! As specified in the manufacturer's instructions, after you're finished wait 24 hours before reinstalling the battery and powering on the device! This gives it plenty of time to dry out and avoid any damage!

1. REMOVE THE BATTERY!

2. Prepare the mixture of water and dish soap - 1/4 tsp dish soap to 10oz of water.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/neonstorm7/G_skin004.jpg?t=1227932052

3. Wet your fingertips to avoid fingerprints in the adhesive and carefully peel the first piece off. (Start with a small one til you get the hang of it.) Be careful to keep track of the adhesive side - it's easy to put pieces on backwards and they won't adhere. The adhesive side is the side stuck to the paper.

4. Dip the piece in solution, shake off the excess, and lay the piece in place. Slide it around til it's positioned correctly. Take your time! Don't rush it! Get it right the first time!
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/neonstorm7/G_skin012.jpg?t=1227931569

5. Using a credit card or ID, slowly squeegee the water and air bubbles from under the skin. Try to avoid getting a lot in the nooks and crannies of your G1. (If you notice any dust or lint trapped underneath the skin, now is the time to peel back the skin and remove it, then start over.)
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/neonstorm7/G_skin013.jpg?t=1227931610

6. Keep going until the entire front is done. Suggestion: The skin pieces that wrap around the sides come in 4 parts. They meet at the very top, near the battery cover release and at the very bottom, near the USB port. Start with these points making the pieces touch at the top and bottom first, then work your way around. (It'll make sense when you do it yourself.)

Next comes the back cover. Due to the curves of the G1's battery cover, most skins I've seen do not fit very well or left gaping holes. The folks at BestSkinsEver have done a better job than any of the others I've seen. It's all in one piece, but is cleverly cut to mold around the corners with as little gap as possible.

1. Re-wet your fingers and peel off the back skin. Be careful with the corner areas when peeling. If you're not careful they may stretch or tear.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/neonstorm7/G_skin016.jpg?t=1227931678

2. Follow the same basic instructions above. I started on one side of the battery cover and worked my way across, working out bubbles as I went.

3. The corners will not stay down right away. After the adhesive has had time to cure (about 5-10 minutes for me) press down on the unadhered areas and hold them for about 30 seconds. Let go, check for any remaining unadhered areas, then repeat until you get them all stuck down. They will hold, just keep pressing them on and don't re-wet them or you'll have to start over. While doing this, you can also gently apply pressure to push the corner flaps closer together. I was able to get rid of nearly all of the gaps.

4. As specified in the manufacturer's instructions, wait 24 hours before reinstalling the battery and powering on the device! This gives it plenty of time to dry out and avoid any damage!

Finished Pics

I am very satisfied with the skin so far! Looking at the phone, I can barely tell it's got a skin installed. And, based on my iPod Nano skin, I'll be pleased with it for years to come!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/neonstorm7/G_skin017.jpg?t=1227932290
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/neonstorm7/G_skin019.jpg?t=1227932312
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/neonstorm7/G_skin020.jpg?t=1227932476

As you can see, the fit and finish are excellent! While I do miss the 'soft-touch' feel of the back cover, my G1 is nice and grippy now and feels more secure when holding it. Plus, as an added bonus, the battery cover creak is almost zero now!

I love this thing! Now I can carry my G1 around without worrying about the everyday nicks and dings my T-MO Wing mysteriously picked up.

Hope it helps,

Ryan

choraleboy

11-28-2008, 11:51 PM

Awesome job and instructions! Thanks!

LGSilva

11-29-2008, 12:02 AM

Looks nice and the fit seams better than the bodyguardz I had on my old bronze G1.

ryannosaurus.rexx

11-29-2008, 12:18 AM

Awesome job and instructions! Thanks!

Whatever I can do to help someone make an informed decision, and get the skin on without royally screwing it up! Thanks for the compliment.

Looks nice and the fit seams better than the bodyguardz I had on my old bronze G1.

From what I've seen, this skin is the best one out there for the G1. And what happened to your bronze G1?

Ryan

LGSilva

11-29-2008, 12:24 AM

And what happened to your bronze G1?

I could not see the keys very well when the back light was on so I exchanged it for the black one.

ryannosaurus.rexx

11-29-2008, 12:46 AM

I could not see the keys very well when the back light was on so I exchanged it for the black one.

Gotcha, that drives me a little crazy too... But I just like the bronze too much to exchange it - not to mention I had to drive 2.5 hours to get it and I won't do it again to exchange it! ;)

Ryan

95eg2mr

11-29-2008, 12:51 AM

yeah best skins ever is by far the best skin for coverage, quality, and customer service, and price of course

androidmonkey

11-29-2008, 12:28 PM

Depending on how you carry your phone, the edges of the skin may start peeling up. This is the case for me, since I slide my phone in/out of my jeans. The back upper corner started peeling up, now had jean lint on it and the front top corner has jean lint along the edge. Not a big deal to me, since the main part of the phone is still being protected just fine. Like I said in my original thread, the BSE skin is the best.

For more info, see this thread. I also have some closeup pics on page 4.
http://androidcommunity.com/forums/f13/just-bought-a-g1-skin-for-5-99-a-5249/

DaveA

11-29-2008, 12:55 PM

tread

11-29-2008, 12:56 PM

I just installed this 3 days ago. I pretty much did the same thing as these instructions, but I also did it in a steamy bathroom to help with the dust. It seemed to work cuz no dust got under the skin. I also used a blowdryer to help dry the back edges. Right now I still have a few small bubbles on the back but a few have already gone away, sp I am hopeful these last two do the same.

careful with the steamy bathroom... the steam in the air can get into your phone and turn your liquid damage indicator (the little square white sticker) red voiding your warranty, even if no damage seems apparent to your phone... i would NOT recommend anybody else doing this at all, as enough steam accumulated in your phone will easily stop it from working correctly

i would actually recommend you check yours DaveA, cause if you stayed in their long enoug you may have already turned it red... and even if other people attempt to "change" their LDI, their are other indicators inside the phone as well

NetCom

11-29-2008, 01:40 PM

Is this key-scratch resistible like Invisible Shield is?

DaveA

11-29-2008, 01:58 PM

careful with the steamy bathroom... the steam in the air can get into your phone and turn your liquid damage indicator (the little square white sticker) red voiding your warranty, even if no damage seems apparent to your phone... i would NOT recommend anybody else doing this at all, as enough steam accumulated in your phone will easily stop it from working correctly

i would actually recommend you check yours DaveA, cause if you stayed in their long enoug you may have already turned it red... and even if other people attempt to "change" their LDI, their are other indicators inside the phone as well

Heh heh. It wasn't a sauna, dude. I literally just took a shower and then installed it after I got out. That way my hands were extra clean, bathroom was dust free, and I was good to go.

tread

11-29-2008, 02:00 PM

Heh heh. It wasn't a sauna, dude. I literally just took a shower and then installed it after I got out. That way my hands were extra clean, bathroom was dust free, and I was good to go.

i see... lots of people take hot showers though, and if its anywhere in the 10 - 15 minute range and you have a fairly small bathroom, that will easily turn the damage indicator red... just trying to help people keep their phones in good shape and qualified under fragile electronics warranties

DaveA

11-29-2008, 02:13 PM

i see... lots of people take hot showers though, and if its anywhere in the 10 - 15 minute range and you have a fairly small bathroom, that will easily turn the damage indicator red... just trying to help people keep their phones in good shape and qualified under fragile electronics warranties

Just checked it; white as a ghost!

Ninja

11-30-2008, 06:29 AM

How is the screen on the phone? Does it give resistance like Invisibleshield's products?

ryannosaurus.rexx

11-30-2008, 10:07 AM

Is this key-scratch resistible like Invisible Shield is?

Yep. I just gave it my own key scratch test. I went up and down the back of the phone 8 times real fast with a decent amount of pressure and the marks just wiped right off!

How is the screen on the phone? Does it give resistance like Invisibleshield's products?

The screen is very responsive and doesn't feel sticky or hard to slide my finger on. The surface is very smooth and my finger slides across the skin more easily than the bare screen. Is that what you mean?

Ryan

androidmonkey

11-30-2008, 11:50 AM

The material used for Zagg skins and BSE skins are the exact same. Its a 3M product, which is normally used on cars.

Ninja

11-30-2008, 11:20 PM

I see. Thank you.

txblue

12-01-2008, 03:27 AM

I had my wife put on the invisi guard, for me she has steady hands.
She did a perfect job, but I did notice alot of bubbles, but they cleared up on its own. She used water and soap, but not in a steamy bathroom.
I love it it protects from scratches

daewond3r

12-03-2008, 02:40 AM

i wish i had waited to see pics of the BSE skin before i got my IS (which somehow got scratched in my pocket, by itself, wtf!).

just ordered my BSE.

95eg2mr

12-03-2008, 02:50 AM

best skins ever is cut way more precise than zagg.com's invisible shield

95eg2mr

12-03-2008, 03:00 AM

in fact, i had a invisible shield sent to me since best buy employees get zagg products for free and i compared them and the best skins has more coverage and way more precise cuts, the invisible shield are kind of jagged and not straight

scrannel

12-09-2008, 03:37 PM

OK, looks good but... shock protection? Which case is best for rebounds off stone floors?

androidmonkey

12-09-2008, 04:10 PM

OK, looks good but... shock protection? Which case is best for rebounds off stone floors?

LOL, no skin is good for shock protection. If you want shock protection, you are going to have to by a case that just holds the phone and you have to remove the phone when in use. I haven't seen a cast that covers the phone in a usable way that offers shock protection. That would be a bit hard since the screen moves up and down.

scrannel

12-09-2008, 04:18 PM

I ask because my current N80, no case at all, neither scratches and bounces off stone, just fine.

zas74

12-13-2008, 05:58 AM

I just installed my bestskinsever yesterday and have to say I am quite pleased with it. Installation is a pain if you want to get it perfect but it's worth it to know it is completely protected. The screen is just as responsive as it was without it and gives it a nice feel. I would highly recommend it especially for the price.

happyface_0

12-18-2008, 02:08 AM

I installed my bestskinsever skin today but the screen has a horrible grain to it. Will this go away after the 48 hours of drying? I bought an invisibleshield for my Zune and the screen looks fine.
Any thoughts, comments, suggestions?

Ripsphone

12-18-2008, 05:07 AM

I have BSE on mine and my wife's. 2nd installation was much easier! For the $ you can't go wrong. My only complaint is that pocket lint and other "stuff" tends to collect on the edges and in the corners. But that is to be expected.

Paging Dr B

12-18-2008, 02:04 PM

careful with the steamy bathroom... the steam in the air can get into your phone and turn your liquid damage indicator (the little square white sticker) red voiding your warranty, even if no damage seems apparent to your phone... i would NOT recommend anybody else doing this at all, as enough steam accumulated in your phone will easily stop it from working correctly

i would actually recommend you check yours DaveA, cause if you stayed in their long enoug you may have already turned it red... and even if other people attempt to "change" their LDI, their are other indicators inside the phone as well

A little steam wont turn it red. I mean it would be not so smart to make it steam like a sauna as it only takes a little steam to rid the air of dust.

Paging Dr B

12-18-2008, 02:06 PM

As far as skins for the G1 i think the BSE is the best that i've seen but.... i just installed a skin on the my wifes Samsung Behold from this company called Phantom Skinz and it has nearly zero orange peel. It looks as smooth as the screen itseld and it appears to be just as thick and strong as BSE and IS.

EDIT: i just emailed them and asked for a G1 skin for me to sample/review. The pattern doesnt look as well laid out as the BSE but the finish just might make up for that. I'll keep you posted.

skeeterflea

01-14-2009, 04:18 AM

Kha_

01-14-2009, 04:34 AM

Wow, those invisible skins look a lot better than I thought they would! Great job installing it.

androidmonkey

01-14-2009, 06:40 AM

And the winner is??

I'm thinking of purchasing a custom skin to apply to the shell first, then covering the phone with a clear skin after that. Anyone have any thoughts on this>?

The winner is "Insert your favorite here". My favorite is BSE.

g1alex

03-18-2009, 04:52 PM

my BSE skin is stained blue because of raw denim but they sent me a new skin free. Great customer service. I shoulda bought a black phone instead of the white

zinite

04-04-2009, 08:20 PM

Installed my BSE today. It's been drying for about an hour, and looks great. The only problem I've noticed is that it is difficult to pull the notification bar downwards. Hopefully that clears up as it dries more.

providence

04-07-2009, 01:33 PM

ordered mine last week, still waiting for it to arrive.

providence

05-14-2009, 09:41 PM

got mine yesterday, and already installed in on my G1. it looks great btw...

didnt wait for 24 hours to dry though, what i did was instead of soaking the pieces into the soap and water, i used my finger to spread out a thin layer of soap & water all over my g1 then applying the skin. Its now dry, used my G1 after 3mins of installation.

androidmonkey

05-14-2009, 11:22 PM

Chedderknight

06-24-2009, 06:22 PM

any BSE coupons as of late? I need to renew, got dirt in the small notches here and there. not bad considering all the crap I put it through ^_^

disceptre

06-24-2009, 08:52 PM

looks good. wish i could say the same bout the one i got from invisibleshield, the corners were impossible

providence

06-25-2009, 03:55 AM

mine started to peel off. :(

I cut the upper part (back) where the its starting to peel off in the corner, and put a scotch tape on it.

BTW, anyone tried if its really scratch proof?

disceptre

06-25-2009, 12:10 PM

i tried on my zagg, it dont scratch but you can see marks

sbig79

06-25-2009, 01:18 PM

Yeah same here, you can see the marks but you can tell the phone is still good, well not scratch. I did put it to a test. I put my set of 8 keys that I have and my wifes set of 5 keys and put it on a bag, shacked a bit (Hard actually) and still nothing. Again, just marks but no scratches....

providence

07-07-2009, 10:38 PM

Guys, mine started peeling off. First at the top corners at the back.. now the sides and the lower front panel where the keys are.. :(
wonder if other brands are like this!

androidmonkey

07-07-2009, 11:18 PM

Guys, mine started peeling off. First at the top corners at the back.. now the sides and the lower front panel where the keys are.. :(
wonder if other brands are like this!

Ive used both BSE and Zagg on previous phones. Both phones had the skin peeling up after 6 mths or so. I keep my phone in my pocket so taking it in and out causes this. The BSE started doing this on my G1 a month ago, I ended up buying a clear case from Tmobile and put it over the skin.

abbygael

07-16-2009, 07:27 PM

Look nice! Thanks for the instruction! I will try it.

kepicona

09-08-2009, 05:11 PM

Like pretty much everyone else, my BSE is peeling off. Lately it's getting worse every day. I'm just curious...are you people out there just trying to make it last or doing a replacement? Anyone on their second generation BSE yet? Any issues there?

shiunzen

10-27-2009, 03:54 AM

Looking at these reviews... can someone explain to me what exactly is this "orange peel" :)

Chedderknight

11-01-2009, 03:55 PM

if you look at your screen in the sun at a slight angel, you'll see it has, barely noticeable ripples, they look like that of an orange skin, some skins are more apparent that others.

btw on my second BSE, top notch as usual, 2nd time around was able to do it in 10 minutes and straight everything,

NBK1

01-25-2010, 11:58 AM

I recently bought a skin for my droid eris from bestskinsever.com. Fits like a dream!! i couldnt be happier, and my phone looks awesome.

instead of using a steamy bathroom, A good tip to remove dust in the area is if you have an air purifier running in the area your going to install it at. i have no dust or bubble under the skin.

dcheng11

03-29-2010, 09:39 PM

dcheng11

03-29-2010, 09:52 PM

i don't know how many people here would appreciate you asking about help with an apple product. just because people here at ac are generally pretty nice, i'm sure they'd help you as much as they could, but i for one don't appreciate you bs-ing the name of the thread to get people to look at it and help you.

oh crap. i thought page 51 was the first page, so i thought this ipod kid made this thread. sorry about that. man, i sound like such a hater now. ahh.